Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-23
THE EVIL OMEN.

keluer at the ScnWaTtzpefS soius "iia '
servants reported it; and that was how
tbev had the news at the 'Golden
Dragon" and all over the village before
night. :.
How it happeaed was mystery, but
there was no denying it. Ii any OF the
noble folks at the Schwartzoerg were
going to die somethingi in the castle was
snre to fall with no human hand near
no loophole for explanation why the
crash should come before the death. aud
not at any other time. The omen had be-
Gan again in these days, after lapse OF
a century. The old kelner's father.
who had kept the keys long ago, had
told strange tales aboutit He had only
heard them in his youth, but they were
verv strange tales, and the Golden
Dragon and the village in general de.
cided that they were not to be explained
awav. But it was much more satistac-
torv when at the present time the evil
omen began to show itself again. 1t
was no grandmother's story now, but a
reality. The gossip and excitement
went on. with shudders and whispers;
it was SO pleasant to have something
TO shudder about. Why, if nobody had
died after the great stays head fell into
the hall the "Golden Dragon" whould
have been downright sorry.
But as it happened, the little boy,
the old Baron's grandson and heir--ieii
on the Black Mountain the very DAY
after and broke his neck. Ihat was
only three months ago. Ana now the
great mirror in the tapestried drawing
room had fallen. 1t was certainly the
old Baron that was TO go of this time.
The village waited breathlessly to know.
Home went Fritz Hartmann with the
news the Sunday night. He was in
worse humor than usual; that is saying
a great deal for Fritz Hartmann, for he
was the blackest man in the village; and
who he was or what he was thinking OF
was all the mystery. -,
"Flowers, father" said the little
bright haired child, waiting to be
noticed. ;,
"Go to bedt' said Hartmann. aud
dropped the flowers and kicked them
"Any news?" his buxcm, good.
huu,ored wife asked. The blackest
mood Fritz could he in was never too
black to stop her smile; many gather
ing thunder storm was laughed of by
Martha.
"Why should there be news?" he said
sayagely, finging his coat aside and
throwing himself on seat with his hat
still on. Love in cottage has many
drawbacks. and the absence of manners
is one of them.
The brisk and buxom Martha popped
the child into bed and began to make
Fritz supper hot. There was no fear
in her nature and great deal of Curl
osity.
81 want to hear about the poor dear
old Baron" said Martha.
'He is dying, they say growled
Fritz.
"Oh Poor old man,
"Why?n said the husband. "He paid
rs for my bit of carving. Whatneed we
carer"
Eyes, we should care, my wicked old
Fritz"-shaking him by the shoulder.
eff . poor man died. said Fritz,
..they would shovel him into the
ground and forget him. Why should
not the rich die too? He has the gout;
it would be a comfort to the old fellow
to die"
Martha had prayed that he might not
die for many ayear, gout or no gout-
he had been so good to her long ago,
when her parents died and she was
taken to the castle to feed the chickens
and the ducks in the yard.
Fritz did bit of wood.carving as
we'll as his daily work. Tourists bought
his carving in summer; 1t was bought at
the castle. too. He had carried his
brackets and frames to the Schwartz
berg Castle so often that he was free OF
the servants hall any day, and when he
took the carved chair Thursday the
Baron had made him bring it into the
library with his own hands. Itwas un.
grateful of Fritz to be glad the poor old
Baron was dying; but then Fritz was
ALWAYS growing at the castle folks and
grumbling at his own poverty.
After supper he went out to the
"Golden Dragon, and lolled with the
idlers on the benches outside the inn.
He was not man for speaking to the
others; he had the name OF being as
nroud as Satan, but he listened with his
arms folded and the corners OF his dark
ewes watching everything. There was
no reason that the Baron should die be-
cause the mirror fell, he said. 1t was
ali nonsense. He was the only man in
the village that disbelieved in the omen
of the Schwartzberg Castle.
When the notary passed-the old mar
with long white hair-he bowed to Hart
mann. It was a queer thing that thu
notary always bowed to Hartmann, tht
workingman; sometimes Hartmann ever
went to supper with him---which was
queerer thing still.
II.
Up at the mountain castle the long
tapestried drawing room was diml.
lighted. and the great, round, broker
mirror lay untouched upon the floor
The granddaughter of the Baron wa
i there with a friend from Geneva, tn
vounp lawyer, Ludwig Schmidt frien,
md more than friend. Bertha was il
the first blush and beauty OF girlhood
fair and pink, with soft, blue Germa
ewes and curls too rich to be haxen
She was letting Ludwig cut one httl
curl, with her pretty head bent for tn
robbery. The shadow OF death loome
over her home again, while she was sti
wearing . mourning gown for her DO
brother; SO, though they were lovers
even to the sweet folly of giving lovt
lock they could not be very light hear
ed tonight.
"And why not have the broken mirrt
taken away?" the young lawyer OF Leil
s;c asked. There is no room for supe
stition in the legal and logical mind.
at is ill.luck for whoever touches it,
said Bertha, with blush; but she coul
not oct him to believe such foolishnes
He nut the love.lock in the innermo
recess Of his pocket-book, and then, wit
his own hands gathered the ruins of IL
mirror on to table and rang for Sc
want te take them away out of ever